What?

Gravitational wave astronomy will open a new window to understanding our universe by catching elusive gravitational wave signals from black holes, binary stars, and supernova. The National Science Foundation (NSF) project to detect gravitational waves here on Earth is known as LIGO, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory. Together with a network of detectors across the globe Advanced LIGO is likely to make gravitational wave detections starting in 2016-17. … Read the entire snippet

]]>http://why-sci.com/gravitationalwave/feed/0Science in your city: Arkansas Museum of Discovery, Little Rock, ARhttp://why-sci.com/arkansas-discovery-museum/
http://why-sci.com/arkansas-discovery-museum/#commentsTue, 10 Sep 2013 16:00:47 +0000http://why-sci.com/?p=1131The Arkansas Museum of Discovery (www.museumofdiscovery.org) was established as the Museum of Natural History and Antiquities in 1927 and has since expanded its exhibits, collected thousands of artifacts, changed locations, and become accredited twice by the American Association of Museums to become the Little Rock landmark it is now. Since its name was changed to the Museum of Discovery in 1998, the museum has had a greater focus on science, technology, engineering, and math, leading to an incredible number of new opportunities to teach students of all ages about these scientific areas.… Read the entire snippet]]>http://why-sci.com/arkansas-discovery-museum/feed/0How did the big bang create the universe?http://why-sci.com/big-bang/
http://why-sci.com/big-bang/#commentsWed, 04 Sep 2013 16:00:31 +0000http://why-sci.com/?p=1113What?

Nowadays, when people mention the big bang theory, they think of Sheldon Cooper and his utter lack of self-awareness during embarrassing social interactions.

The title of the show featuring the antics of a pretty blonde girl and four brilliant nerds, though, was actually derived from one of the most important astronomical theories.

The big bang theory describes the creation of everything in the universe. According to this theory, all the matter in the universe came into existence at the same time during an event known as the big bang, which happened about 13.7 billion years ago.… Read the entire snippet

]]>http://why-sci.com/big-bang/feed/0Science in your city: Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DChttp://why-sci.com/smithsonian-air-space/
http://why-sci.com/smithsonian-air-space/#commentsFri, 16 Aug 2013 16:00:44 +0000http://why-sci.com/?p=1100Named as the best science center in the United States by Mensa International – the international high IQ society, the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. is known for having the world’s largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft. The National Air and Space Museum (http://airandspace.si.edu/) is part of the Smithsonian Institution, which is the world’s largest museum and research complex, comprised of 19 museums, 9 research centers, and over 140 affiliated museums around the globe.

Although the National Air and Space Museum might seem like many a science center with a number of exhibitions, an IMAX theater, and a planetarium, the Smithsonian’s content and displays far exceed the average expectations.… Read the entire snippet

Global warming and “going green” are some of the most prominent buzzwords in the media today. The hype about water bottles produced using 30% less plastic and napkins made from 100% recycled paper isn’t just for any random reason, though. This is the result of concerns about climate change.

It’s a “green footprint”!

Although our weather changes from day to day, our climate generally stays constant over the years. Climate, defined as the average weather over a long period of time, is different in various regions of the world according to the amount of sunlight locally received as well as geographic factors, including proximity to oceans and altitude.… Read the entire snippet

What?

According to Albert Einstein, light is the fastest thing in the universe, and at a speed of 300 million meters per second, this isn’t hard to believe. For well over a decade, though, people have been working to stop light in its tracks and hold it in place. This isn’t the same as blocking the pathway of light like holding a book in front of a flashlight so it can’t shine through; this is stopping light completely, holding it in place, and releasing it.… Read the entire snippet

Memory loss appears in the media in a variety of forms. In The Bourne Identity, Jason Bourne suffered from extreme memory loss, unable to remember anything about his past but finding that he is fluent in several languages and able to perform unusual physical feats.

Dory from Finding Nemo has short-term memory loss, unable to remember things that have occurred over the past few minutes (with the exception of “P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney).

Other times, rather than constantly being burdened with forgetfulness, memory loss is depicted as purposeful – a specific, targeted group of memories being removed from one’s mind, such as how the firm Lacuna, Inc.… Read the entire snippet

]]>http://why-sci.com/amnesia/feed/0Science in your city: The Houston Museum of Science in Houston, TXhttp://why-sci.com/houston-science-museum/
http://why-sci.com/houston-science-museum/#commentsWed, 07 Aug 2013 16:00:58 +0000http://why-sci.com/?p=833It’s difficult to imagine a large science museum that doesn’t feature the latest and greatest visual technologies – interactive displays, touchscreens, and IMAX theaters, but the Houston Museum of Natural Science (www.hmns.org) was teaching the community about science for decades without any of these tools. Established in 1909, the Houston Museum was a popular destination from the start and has maintained this reputation for over a hundred years, evolving and expanding with the times.

The Houston Museum of Natural Science started out as a small exhibition in the City Auditorium in downtown Houston but has long since acquired its own independent facilities consisting of several different sections, including a planetarium, a butterfly zoo, and a massive theater, along with the permanent exhibits that are a staple of any science museum.… Read the entire snippet

Wormholes – not the type made by insect larvae burrowing in rotting wood – are common in science fiction as an unpredictable method of time travel. As we’ve seen in many other examples, science fiction often involves concepts that have been proven to be scientifically impossible. However, this concept finds some traction with scientific principles.

Why?

J.J. Abrams’ 2009 Star Trek movie featured Spock and a Romulan ship falling through a wormhole that sent them back in time 129 years.… Read the entire snippet

Anything can happen in your dreams. You can fly; you can drown; you can show up naked to school; you can have your teeth fall out, or you can have Leonardo DiCaprio staring intensely at an infinitely spinning top (Inception (2010)).

Dreams have been a topic of intrigue for researchers across all fields of science. Those on the biological side study the physiological processes that occur in the brain during sleep and observe neurological fluctuations while people dream. Scientists on the psychological side study the implications of the dream content on waking life.… Read the entire snippet